Morrison's Maze
Morrison's Maze is an area located in the Central Sector. It is one of the maps featured in The Anniversary Tour. History The area was named by DinoHunt in honor of the late George Morrison, one of the first planetary explorers on FMM UV-32, who disappeared and, presumably, died in an expedition to the region along with his entire crew. While Morrison's Maze was charted as early as the second hunting program, it was not officially opened for hunters until late into The Anniversary Tour, when the famous valley was turned into a hunting reserve. Geography Morrison's Maze is an entirely landlocked valley lying deep within the Central Sector East. It is trapped between steep mountain ranges and divided by a dried river running from the northwest to the southeast, ending in a large salt lake. The river and salt lake remain mostly dry except during the brief wet seasons, with the latter giving way to an enormous salt flat within a harsher area of the region. This harsher area surrounding the salt flat, and occupying most of the southeastern quadrant of the map is bordered by winding mountains and canyons. One of these canyons leads to a large pool of quicksand, surrounded by lush vegetation that grows off of the nutrients the trap's victims carcasses. Beyond the desert, and occupying most of the map are wide and expansive mossy plains. These are peppered with rolling knolls, high cliffs and small, shallow ponds. Deep within these plains, grazing herds of ''Diplodocus'' can be found, as they use this region as their nesting grounds. To the Northern regions of the reserve are engulfed in a thick, redwood forest. This area is mainly used as a nursery for larger dinosaurs, such as Diplodocus and Tyrannosaurus. But it is not as safe as it sounds, as many smaller predators stalk the region in hopes of devouring a hatchling. ''Laelaps'' is a common baby eater in this area, and as a consequence is a common meal for angry mothers. Carved into a mountain to the Northwest is a strange, yet entirely natural formation. A ravine snakes its way through the rocky mountain, with two small pools within it. The feature that makes it so odd is that it is entriely covered with a purple grass that is entirely unknown elsewhere on the planet. Little research has been done in the area due to its secluded nature, thus it is unknown what exactly makes up this formation. Vegetation The plant life in Morrison's Maze greatly resembles that of Earth's Morrison Formation during the late Jurassic period. Grass is entirely absent from this area, as are Thistles, with most of the ground being covered in mosses, Club Moss and ferns. Redwoods, Monkey Puzzle trees, tree ferns, and various cycads comprise the larger plants in the region. The occasional patches of spiky, purple shrubs break up the green or brown monotony in this area, and a large, turquoise-colored species of fern is only known to exist in the northern redwood forest region which has been found nowhere else on the planet. Structures Tent Deeper still the abandoned remains of a large tent can be seen. It is unknown who this tent originally belonged too, with the top theories being either poachers or George Morrison's lost crew. What is known is that the tent was left behind in a hurry, and slash marks can be seen in its fabric. Glowing Slab Within the plains, surrounded by circular markings in the dirt, a tall, glowing slab can be seen. It is entirely unknown what the purpose of the artifact is for, besides that it was built by the Ancients long ago. What is also unknown is how the slab is able to have glowing runes etched within it, being considered supernatural by hunters and scientists alike. Though the official explanation is it is a substance similar to bioluminescence. Maze The legendary maze is the namesake of the region and the most well known yet mysterious aspect of it. It was first discovered by George Morrison's expedition, claiming in their recovered notes that they found a large and deep cave leading into the mountain blocked by a steep drop into a pit at its entrance. After constructing a rudimentary bridge, the notes state how numerous groups of crew members attempted to find what was within it, and never returned. Some of the final notes state that more of the crew, including Morrison himself, were to enter the cave while trailing a long line of string behind them. What they found at its end is described by Morrison. "As we stumbled through the dark depths of the cave, we began to hear a soft, rumbling noise coming from further in it. It was like hearing crashing waves beneath the water, yet there was no known body of water large enough to create such a forceful wave. As we explored deeper and deeper, the rumbling became louder and louder, until we reached something. Deep within the heart of the maze, a bright light began to take shape from the end of the tunnel ahead of us. We at first believed it to be an entrance leading to a large lake, explaining the strange noises we heard. If only it were so simple. The light became brighter and brighter, filling the tunnel with a white glow. And then we reached its source. In front of us, a giant wall of light sat, with a batch of small plants leading into it. I was the first to attempt entering. I took a few, cautious steps toward the light. Suddenly, a booming voice radiated from beyond the light, "You may not enter, human." I've been through a lot of terrifying experiences. I’ve had a ''Tyrannosaurus'' charge me, I've been neck deep in ''Mosasaur'' infested waters, I've been face to face with a ''Stokesosaurus''... But when I heard that voice, that moment was the fastest I have ran in my life." Morrison, and what was left of his crew, went missing soon after this log was written. The Maze has never been rediscovered, so the contents of the message have never been proven to be factual. Regardless, it is still one of the most popular mysteries of the dinosaur planet. Appearances Morrison's Maze is the fifth map in ''Carnivores+'', moving Pyramids of Shmu-Hadron and The Great Lake one notch forward in the map roster. Trivia * Morrison's Maze was largely inspired by the Walking With Dinosaurs series, with references to the episodes Time of the Titans, Death of a Dynasty ''and ''The Ballad of Big Al. It is also loosely based on WWD's spin-off video game, ''Dinosaur World. ''The games main five areas all appear in Morrison's Maze, as well as many of the game's ambient sound effects. * Several custom-made plants, including Bjuvia, Redwood, Zamia, and Monkey Puzzle, were all made specifically for Morrison's Maze, though they have been largely made available for use in other maps as well. * The map contains a few subtle references to some of its creator's other creations outside the Carnivores franchise. These are centered around the northern reaches of the map. Category:Carnivores+ Category:Maps Category:Central Sector